Zubey left his head coaching position at St. Mary's - where he dealt with a hostile and vocal alumni and parent group and players leaving because of problems with school tuition or financial aid - to take the open post at Higley in February.

"I needed a fresh start," said Zubey, who coached at St. Mary's for three years and at Mesa Westwood for two years before that. "Things weren't going as planned at St. Mary's, and I needed to better myself and better my situation. It's been good for me. I'm closer to home. I'm back in the state retirement system. I got a small raise.

"And I'm able to coach football again. That's what I miss. At St. Mary's, I had a big staff and I was coaching coaches. I wasn't doing the X's and O's. I was more of a 'CEO head coach.' Now, I'm at the other end of the spectrum.

"I don't have to worry about kids trying to get financial aid for tuition and wondering if they are going to be here or not. You spend the summer developing these kids then you are not able to play them, that part was truly frustrating. We don't have that here. It's just totally football."

Zubey also knew Higley District Athletic Director Arthur Wagner and Williams Field coach Steve Campbell and felt Higley was a good place for him.

At Higley, Zubey will again replace a legend as he did in replacing Pat Farrell at St. Mary's. The only coach Higley had ever had was Jim Beall, who started the program in 2001.

"There are big shoes to fill for myself and our staff," Zubey said. "We have really good support out here. We have 45 kids, all juniors and sophomores. And we went up to camp in Williams with 75 kids, sophomores through seniors."

It's been a welcome change for Zubey, who also had to deal with off-the-field issues with parents and alumni at St. Mary's. The most high-profile situation were recruiting allegations last November; allegations Zubey had denied and was cleared of.

"It's (his time at St. Mary's) taught me patience and basically to have thick skin," Zubey said. "A lot of people just want to do right for their son. But our job as coaches is to do right for the team. So sometimes we do not see eye to eye, and I saw the ugly side of it."

Now with all of that behind him, Zubey is looking forward to working with a Higley team boasting an offense with serious breakout potential.

"We have one heck of a quarterback in Eric Kump," Zubey said. "He's the best quarterback I've ever coached from a throwing standpoint. We also have Mike Strnad at running back, who is one of the fastest kids at any level. We have a great group of senior linemen. I like our dynamic."